My name is Montana!

I'm Montana!
I'm a big personality in a big package. I'm only weighing in at 120# at the vet's but mom says I feel and look a bit heavier than that (mostly when I step on her feet). I'm about three but that's hard to know since Mom says I'm a 'true rescue". My ex-owner had gotten me as a puppy and was bored after about a month when he decided to tie me outside to a dog house where I lived forever till I came here (and boy do I like it here). I didn't get much attention. Dollar store dog food. Water when they remembered. And a 9' chain keeping me there. Lots of ticks, fleas, and something that was biting me leaving big welts from the top of my head to my feet that really itched when Mom first saw me leaving Mom to call me braille dog. I guess since I "just didn't do nothin" my owner planned to SHOOT ME so I wouldn't bother him anymore. Mom was so sweet to me from the first second she saw me all covered in welts and dirty but she seemed pretty mad at my owner.
I was brought to her house, given a medicated bath to get rid of the crawlies, got my nails trimmed, ears cleaned and given some medicine to try to make me not itch so bad. I felt scared but better. I trusted her from when I met her so I'd have let her do anything.
Then the fun started! I got to come INSIDE a house! I was scared at first but there were two other great danes in there! One- Cheyenne- is Mom's dog and is beautiful and seems to be used to introducing new dogs to the house. She showed me how to use the dog door. I don't even have to go outside unless I have to get a drink or go potty and can come in all by myself. The other dog had to check me out first but was nice too. We all met, sniffed, and I was ready to PLAY since I couldn't believe I was LOOSE in a yard! They were nice and played with me, I learned about fences though cuz I ran into one with my face. I look for those now. Mom laughed and petted me and told me it was ok. Guess there's no nice way to learn about fences. But I was too busy bouncing to see it. Mom's laughed at me a lot. I think that's a good thing. After play time we went back inside.. that's SOOOO cool, and Mom sat on the floor with me and actually petted me and talked to me. It was amazing. I just kept thumping my tail so she'd know I liked it. I thumped faster when she actually kissed my head. I love her. No one's ever actually pet, kissed, or talked with me before. That's the best.
Since then I've learned to be "crate trained" and mom sometimes gives us our special food in there which is yummy. I have NEVER gone potty in the house. I have NEVER eatten anything like furniture or walls or anything else bad. I don't get into trash. I have pulled apart a couple stuffed animals playing tug with Wendy (look for her she's up for adoption too) but Mom says that's ok that's what they're for. But nothing not meant for dogs. Mom's been working 24 hour work shifts and has been leaving all three of us out and loose in the house and is thrilled that the house is all in one piece when she gets home (that's when we get good canned food mixed with our regular food as a treat). But we are good when Mom's gone. I do try to take things Mom puts on the couch to keep us off down because I'd much rather sleep on the couch than the dog bed on the floor but she's gotten heavier things now so I either sleep on the harder stuff or just give in and sleep on the beds on the floor.
I have shown too much interest in the chickens so mom keeps them in when we all are out running which we do twice a day. You should see the three of us danes out playing. We're quite a site. We have FUN! Now the cats I love. I've started helping bathe them since they've been giving me little nuzzles and kisses since I got here.
Now I do have one problem and it's kind of a big one! Mom says I HAVE to tell you about it. Since I was tied up 24 hours a day outside for years I still love most dogs.. pretty much any friendly dog. My problem comes in with dogs who show me any agression. If they bark at me, growl at me, look at me hard, or heaven forbid run up to me with that stiff legged stance. I can't help but think those are going to hurt me or at least try to. With those, Mom says I over react and get agressive back or protectivly agressive first. She's seen me do this a few times and I bit both Cheyenne and Wendy once so she's saying I need to be an only dog so I don't have to worry anyone about how I'll do with another dog. Mom says that's the safest answer for me.
Now I love car rides and meeting people, I just won't be a doggie park kind of dog. I like kids. Will sit in your lap. LOVE any kind of attention though have learned "go away" as well. I sleep on a dog bed next to the bed. Will play fetch in the house. Go for runs off leash outside of the fenced yard twice a day and have no problems with coming back because the last thing I want to do is run away!

So other than needing to be an only dog Mom says I'm great and have TONS of personality. I just think I'm making up for years of no attention and no being talked to and no one caring I was even there. I'm even learning "dane talk" which sounds like a growl but when mom talks and I talk back she laughs then the other two dogs join in and it's a pretty loud house but it must be a good thing because mom's laughing really hard while we're doing it! I like to make people happy and laugh.
Would you maybe need to smile and laugh a bit more? If so I can do that? Maybe you need me!